Acclaimed Russian ballet dancer dead after fall from 5th-floor balcony

Vladimir Shklyarov, 1 of the ballet community’s starring dancers, died aft a fatal autumn from a fifth-storey balcony successful St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Mariinsky Theatre, wherever the 39-year-old was the top-ranking dancer, confirmed the Nov. 16 death.

“Tonight, the favourite of the public, the prima premier of the Mariinsky Theatre, Honored Artist of Russia Vladimir Shklyarov, tragically died. This is simply a immense nonaccomplishment not lone for the theatre’s unit but for each of modern ballet,” the institution wrote successful a statement posted to Instagram connected Saturday.

“Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and each the galore admirers of his enactment and talent.”

According to Russian quality bureau RIA Novosti, the decease is being investigated by national authorities but “the preliminary cause” has been ruled an accident.

The ballet dancer’s representatives told the media that helium fell from the 5th storey of a gathering while connected painkillers, according to the BBC. Theatre spokesperson Anna Kasatkina said the dancer had been taking the medicine for an wounded and was scheduled to acquisition spinal country this week.

Shklyarov became a main dancer for Mariinsky Theater successful 2011, performing successful productions specified arsenic Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty.

The American Ballet Theatre, wherever Shklyarov performed arsenic a impermanent creator successful 2014 and 2015, besides paid tribute to the precocious performer.

“Today, we mourn the tragic nonaccomplishment of Vladimir Shklyarov, an bonzer creator whose grace and passionateness inspired audiences worldwide,” the company’s Instagram relationship wrote connected Nov. 17.

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Diana Vishneva, a chap main dancer astatine the Mariinsky, called Shklyarov’s decease a “tragedy” for the ballet world.

“You were truthful loved by your audience. You were the favorite spouse of galore ballerinas,” she wrote successful a tribute connected Instagram.

Irina Bartnovskaya, who runs a Telegram transmission focused connected ballet called “The Devil successful Ballet Shoes,” was 1 of the archetypal to publicize the decease — portion of which was captured connected CCTV — connected Saturday morning.

“Volodya (Vladimir) was resting up astatine home, connected painkillers and preparing for an… operation,” she said.

“He went retired onto the balcony to get immoderate aerial and smoke, mislaid his equilibrium (it’s a precise constrictive balcony) and fell (from the 5th floor). It was a anserine unbearable accident.

“He loved life, his family, and adored his children and his audience,” she wrote, according to Reuters.

Shklyarov was joined to Maria Shirinkina, a chap dancer astatine the Mariinsky. The mates had 2 children, a lad and a daughter.